Stay Safe and Secure

Stay Safe and Secure

The Top Home Security Systems on the Market

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No one likes the idea of someone breaking into their home. You spent a lifetime acquiring the contents of your home- whether that is your family or your possessions- and you won’t let an intruder take what’s yours.
But as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keep potential intruders out with a home security system.
According to alarms.org, burglars are most attracted to homes that DO NOT have a security system. They report homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized.
The University of North Carolina Charlotte did a study on burglary from the offender’s perspective, and 83% admitted that they specifically look to see if there’s an alarm; 60% would change their mind if there was one installed.
*Source: alarms.org

Knowing that, it makes sense to outfit your home with a security system. But which?

Set It and Forget It

If you like the idea of home security, but don’t want to be watching the cameras 24/7, and don’t want to be responsible for calling the cops if someone tries to break in, a monitored security system is for you.

Among the pros of going this route:

Certificate from the security company to give your home insurance company. They, in turn, lower your insurance premium.

You typically get an all-in-one package of cameras, door/window sensors and monitoring.

And of course, someone else is keeping an eye out for that alarm to go off, and they’ll report it to the police. So, if the worst does happen, and you panic and freeze, the cops are still going to show up.

Of course, there are potential downsides.

Monthly monitoring fee.

Potentially high upfront cost for the equipment.

Potential long-term contract.

Ring Alarm System

Ring Alarm system can be purchased in individual components or as a 5-piece kit. The kit includes a base station, contact sensor, motion detector, keypad and range extender. Setup is quick and DIY-friendly, allowing homeowners to install it without special tools or professional assistance.

Additional components can be purchased as needed and integrate quickly and easily into the system. All Ring products can be managed through the Ring app, and the system works with Alexa to arm, disarm and provide status updates.

Ring devices send alerts to your smart phone when doors or windows open or motion is detected, so your eyes don’t have to be glued to a camera. It comes with optional 24/7 professional monitoring at $10/month, with no long-term contracts or cancellation fees.

SimpliSafe

What list would be complete without the ubiquitously advertised SimpliSafe? This home security system takes mere moments to setup. Just plug in the base station, place the sensors and you’re done. For those that love using Alexa or Google assistant, the Simplisafe system integrates with either to make your home that much smarter.

Simplisafe offers a range of kits at different price points. The smallest comes with five components, while the largest has twelve. Additional components can be purchased and added to the system as needed.

The kit shown above comes with:

HD video doorbell pro to view visitors day or night

Base Station with built-in 95dB siren

4 Entry sensors

motion sensor

panic button

Simplicial security camera

yard sign & window security stickers

Free month of monitoring

After the first month, get optional 24/7 professional monitoring and cloud recording with police, fire & medical dispatch starting at $14.99/month with no contracts.

DIY All the Way

For those that want to watch their own house, thank you very much, there are all-weather surveillance systems with a centralized data storage unit that offer all the features of the third-party monitored systems, without the third-party.

HeimVision Security System

At the time of writing, this system has garnered 5 stars on Amazon. This package comes with four (4) weatherproof outdoor security cameras that feed into a centralized DVR unit. The cameras record in 1080P day and night and feature motion, face and human detection. Detection levels can be customized to minimize false alarms from birds, insects and pets.

Email alerts are sent if there is video loss or blind spots, or when motion is detected. View the feed from your phone or from the DVR unit.

Note that the DVR unit requires the purchase of 3.5″ Hard Drive for data storage, and you’re responsible for responding to alerts.

Hiseeu Security Camera System

Also offering four (4) outdoor weatherproof cameras and an 8 channel DVR data storage unit is the Hiseeu Security Camera System. Unlike the HeimVision system, however, this one comes with a pre-installed 1 TB (terabyte) hard drive in the DVR, allowing storage of more than 30 days worth of around-the-clock footage. The cameras detect motion and can differentiate between humans and other creature, such as bugs and trees swaying in the breeze, which helps minimize false alarms.

The kit also includes:

Mouse

User manual

Remote control

4* 58Ft BNC Cable

1* 3.2Ft HDMI Cable

An 8Channel 5MP DVR

2 Camera Warning Stickers

1 DC Power Splitter (1 Female to 4 Male)

2 Power adapters

Camera mounting screws

1-year warranty with free parts replacement and lifetime technical support

Again, you’re responsible for responding to alerts, but you’ll have video evidence to provide the police.

Is There a Best Choice?

So… which to go with? Both received good reviews on Amazon and offer different kits at different price points. Consider that a security system is an investment and a commitment to safety. For monitored systems, how long until you tire of paying the monthly monitoring fee? For DIY systems, how long until you tire of getting alerts or checking how much data storage space is left?

The answer comes down to knowing your habits and finding a system that complements them, that picks up where your skills and discipline leave off. Remember that securing your home is a defensive move that when done right, means you won’t have to make an offensive one.